The Pinang History, the island of Betel Nut has many folklores told in the Malay history or legends. Pinang is the Malay word for Betel Nut or areca nut. In Pinang History, The Nyonyas and Malays uses betel nuts for many things, chewing with Sireh, marriage customs and ceremonies and to ward away evils too.

The Pinang or Betel Nut Gossipers

The three races of Malaysia eats sireh with betel nut slices. The Nyonyas and Malays takes it in the same way. And time for eating sireh is gossip time, munching and chewing as they exchanged the daily happenings in the household. That is how Se Kapor Sireh was known.

The Indians takes their sireh different from the Nyonyas or Malays. Paan vendors are all around Penang Little India today. Chewing betel nut or paan with sireh completes their meal.



Read about Pinang history from Malaya History which my friend Muna feels the Malays and Penangite should know. Read about how the legendary warrior Nakhoka Ragam, his travel in Pinang History in the 15th century.

And also about Sireh. Its most widespread use was as one of the ingredients used in sireh, a concoction that consists of shaved betel nut fragments, lime and cloves wrapped in fresh palm leaves and chewed as one would chew gum. As it is chewed, it forms an aromatic mixture which colours the lips and saliva red and is reputed to produce mild narcotic effects.

The significance of the betel nut palm to Pinang History is not limited to just its name. The modern-day tricolour flag of Penang also features the ubiquitous tree.

Nakhoda Ragam, the 15th century Malay warrior Pulau Kesatu

It is likely that Penang was known by its Malay name Pulau Pinang since it was first settled by the Malays. In 1591, the 'Edward Bonaventure', the vessel of English adventurer Captain James Lancaster; visited Pulau Rimau, an island just south of what he called 'Poolo Pinang'. Manoel Godinho de Eredia's map of the Malay peninsula in his 'Description of Malaca' in 1613 refers to the island in Portuguese as as 'Pulo Pinam'.

However, Penang was also to known to Kedah inhabitants at the time as Tanjung Penaga (Cape 'Penaga') and that particular name was even used in Government land grants as late as 1800. Up to today, there are Kedah folk who refer to Penang as 'Tanjung'.

The Penaga was a hardwood tree used to make walking sticks and its leaves were reputed to have medicinal value. There also still exists the town of Penaga on the Kedah coast opposite the island.

Nakhoda Ragam's Mark

W E Maxwell's 'Notes and Queries' (1887) notes an account that appeared in Logan's Journal of the Indian Archipelago' of the voyage of the legendary Malay seafarer Nakhoda Ragam that gives an even earlier name for Penang. According to the legend, Nakhoda Ragam traded in the waters along the length of the western coast of the Malay peninsula from Lingga at the southern tip to Kedah. It was said that, because he found no higher or larger isolated island in these travels, he named it Pulau ke Satu single island in Pinang History.

Nahkoda Ragam was also reputed to have given the names to the various bays, rivers and points of Pulau Pinang. On one occasion, when sailing off the south-western end of the island, his 'kendi' or water-pot fell into the sea, and it was immediately transformed by the 'jinn' (genii) of the place into an island which still bears the name of Pulau Kendi in Pinang history.

On leaving Pulau Kendi, he pulled into a bay on the southern coastline of Penang. At the mouth of the river which flows into the bay, he released a tame bird called Bayan, and thenceforth the place has been called Bayan Lepas (or the free Bayan).

At another voyage, he attempted to land again at the shore of that bay. However, the sea was too rough and as his boat pulled away from the shore, it was nearly swamped. The boat rolled and pitched heavily, and as he was steering her off, his exertions loosened the knot (or 'sanggul) of his long, flowing hair. He therefore named the place Gertak Sanggul ('shaken knot').

On another occasion, while passing Pulau Bitong on the western coast of Penang, he encountered a heavy gale. On passing a point on the island, the storm grew fiercer and he saw his wife's face turn pale with fear. He henceforth referred to that place as 'Pucat Muka' or 'pale-faced'.

Captain Francis Light and the Prince of Wales Island

Another sea captain - Captain Francis Light - landed in Penang on 17th July, 1786 to acquire it for his King and country. He too pondered on what new name to give to the island to mark this momentous event. He finally decided on naming it after England's regent - the Prince of Wales, who was to later be King George IV of England.

The island was, in fact, formally named Prince of Wales Island during a flag-raising ceremony there on August 11th - the Prince's birthday. The name, however, was rarely used even the British administration always referred to it as Penang and Prince of Wales Island was quickly forgotten. He named the settlement they built there after King George III and that name Georgetown has lasted to this day.

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